Plural high-speed printing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A printing apparatus with a rotating printing platen having a plurality of rows of characters positioned around its peripheral surface, each row containing a single group of characters from which a plurality of print hammers print the same characters during a single revolution of the platen. A control circuit sequentially operates each of the print hammers in response to timing signals generated by the platen and a hammer actuating member.

Umted States Patent 1191 3,850,098

Morohashi Nov. 26, 1974 4] PLURAL HIGH-SPEED PRINTING 3,351,917 11/1967 Shimbanuro 340 1725 APPARATUS 3,415,184 12/1968 Perucca 101/93 C 3,596,593 8/1971 Wada 101/93 C [75] Inventor: Tada M as Yokohama, 3,651,487 3/1972 Washington 101/93 c x Japan 3,656,427 4/1972 Foley 101/93 C [73] Assignee: NCR Corporation, Dayton, Ohio v Prtmary ExammerRobert E. Pulfrey [22] Flled: 1 1973 Assistant ExaminerE. H. Eickholt [21] Appl. No.: 427,037 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. T. Cavender; Wilbert Hawk, J r.; Richard W. Lavin [52] US. Cl. 101/93 C, 340/1725 A 51 Int. Cl B4lj 9/10, B41j 1/48 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 101/93 C, 93 R, 93 MN, A printing apparatus with a rotating printing platen 101/90; 197/12, 18; 340/1725, 173 having a plurality of rows of characters positioned around its peripheral surface, each row containing a [56] References Cited single group of characters from which a plurality of UNITED STATES PATENTS print hammers print the same characters during a sin- 2 699 857 H1955 wales 1 01 /93 C X gle revolution of the platen. A control circuit sequen- 2874634 2,1959 Hewse 01/93 C tially operates each of the print hammers in response 2,9751403 3/1961 Doersanijjrj: 11:11:: 101/93 0 to timing Signals generated by the P and a 3,05s,415 10 1962 Hoffmann 101 93 c mer tuating member. 3,077,158 2/1963 Hoffmann 101/93 C 3,292,152 12/1966 Barton 340/1725 10 Clam! 3 Drawmg Fgures Q 78 86 I 1 75 F I J COUNTER 83 so! i 100 1 87 1 7e i I s COUNTER 1 F i i 77 04 L 8'1 88' F I R COUNTER F 1 1 1 97 DATA a/nae 98 a PLURAL HIGH-SPEED PRINTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In prior printing apparatus where multiple printing operations are to occur utilizing a single rotating platen, plurality of sets of characters are mounted in a row on the platen, each set of characters coacting with an associated printing hammer to print on a record member. In this arrangement all of the printer hammers are operated simultaneously. Mounting a plurality of sets of characters in a row on a single platen requires a certain size platen, the size increasing with the number of sets to be mounted. In prior mechanical cash registers and accounting machines, the size of the platen could be accommodated due to the inherent size of the machines but with present day electronic cash registers and data terminals, the available space for the-platen is very limited. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a multiple station printing apparatus which is compact in construction, simple in operation and relatively low in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A compact drum type printing mechanism in which a single set of alpha-numeric characters is mounted in each row on a drum and from which a plurality of printing stations print the same information on a plurality of record members during a single rotation of the drum. A control circuit for actuating the hammber member of each print station in succession is included in which timing signals are generated by the drum and a hammer actuated cam member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the printing apparatus showing the location of the print hammers and the record members;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the control circuit for operating the printing hammers together with an oblique partial view of the timing apparatus used to generate timing signals;

FIG. 3 shows the timing pulses used in the control circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic view of the printing apparatus which includes a constantly rotating drum member having a plurality of rows of type elements 21 (FIG. 2), each row of type elements containing a single set of alpha-numeric characters. Associated with the drum member 20 are three print stations 22, 23, 24 positioned around the circumference of the drum. As shown in FIG. 1, starting with the top print station 22 and proceeding in a clockwise direction, the other two print stations 23, 24 are equally spaced from the first print station 22. Each print station includes a hammer member 25 slidably mounted on a stud 26 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the drum member 20. There is a hammer in each print station for each row of type elements on the drum member 20. A spring 27 secured to one end of the hammer 25 normally urges the hammer in a counterclockwise direction about the stud 26 and into engagement with one end of a rotatably mounted lever 28, the other end of which constitutes the armature of a solenoid 30. Energizing of the solenoid 30 will rock the lever 28 clockwise which in turn will rotate a lip portion 31 of the hammer 25 into the paths of a rotating hammer inpact cam 32 which drives the hammer against the type on the drum 20.

The print station 22 prints on a journal type 33 which is taken from a supply roll 34 by a take-up roll 35 over a system of rollers 36 which positions the tape between the hammer 25 and the drum 20. In a similar fashion, the printing station 24 (FIG. 1) prints on a receipt tape 37 which is taken 'from a supply roll 38 by a pair of drive rolls 40 over a system of rollers 41 and pass the printing station 24. Positioned adjacent the drum rolls 40 are a pair of knife blades 42, 43 which, when operated, will cut the receipt tape 37 to provide a receipt which is transported through a chute 44 by a number of rollers 45 coacting with a moving belt 46 to a receptable 47 from which the receipt is picked up by the customer'. The receipt 37 has printed thereon advertisement by means of print roll 17 which is reinked by a reinking roll 18 and which prints on each receipt against the action of a pressure roller 19.

The print station 23 is positioned adjacent aslip table 48on which is positioned a slip 49. The slip is engaged by a drive roller 50 operated by a belt system 51 driven by a pulse motor 52. The belt system 51 also operates a drive roller 53. Associated with each of the drive rollers 50, 53 is a spring actuated pressure roller 54. The slip 49 will be driven by the rollers 50, 53 to a position between the printing station 23 and the drum member 20 under the control of a plurality of phototransistorlamp combinations. The phototransistor 55 will detect the presence or absence of a slip paper. The phototransistor 56 will detect the presence of the slip when a printing of the total is to occur and phototransistor 57 will detect the slip when in a home position. The slip will be fed by the drive rollers 50, 53 to each printing position and then back to its original position upon the printing of the total. Each of the phototransistors 55, 56 and 57 operate in association with its lamp 58 in a manner well known in the art. Associated with each print station is a reinking roll 60 engaging the type 21 on the drum 20 for reinking the type during each rotation of the drum.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the control circuit for selectively energizing the solenoid 30 of each print station to actuate its associated print hammer 25 to print the same character during each revolution of the drum. Secured to the drive shaft 61 of the drum member 20 is a timing disc 62 in which is located an aperture 63. Mounted adjacent the disc 62 and in line with aperture 63 is a light source 64 and a phototransistor 65. Secured to one of the hammer impact cam shafts 66 is a timing disc 67 having a pair of apertures 68 located therein. Mounted adjacent the disc 67 in line with the apertures 68 is a light source 70 coacting with a phototransistor 71. Rotation of the disc 62 will result in the generation of a series of set pulses 72 indicating the home position of the drum 20 as shown in FIG. 3 while the rotation of the disc 67 will result in the generation of a series of timing pulses 73 (FIG. 3) indicating the timing of the hammer actuating member. The set pulses 72 will be transmitted from photocell 65 over wire 74 to the lower input of three AND gates 75, 76 and 77. The timing pulses from photocell 71 will betransmitted over wire 78 to the upper input of AND gate and also to the upper input of AND gates 80, 81, 82. The output of each of the AND gates 75, 76, 77

and the amplifier 91 whose output is connected to the solenoid of the print station 22 (F IG. 1) which prints on the journal member 33. Similarly, counter 87 is coupled to print station 23 through AND gate 92 and amplifier 93 while R counter 88 is coupled to the print station 24 through the AND gate 94 and amplifier 95.

' Also coupled to the AND gates 90, 92 and 94 is a timed control signal representing the character to be printed and which is supplied from a keyboard control unit 96 through the data buffer 97, over a separate wire to each of the AND gates while a print signal is supplied from the keyboard unit 96 over wire 98 to each of the AND gates 90, 92 and 94. The timed signal generated by the keyboard control unit 96 and the data buffer 97 will represent the character to be printed in a timed sequence based on the set pulses 72 generated by the disc 62. As will be described more fully, the signals generated by the buffer 97 will be in sequence according to the spacing of the printing station around the peripheral of the drum. it is obvious that the output of the counters 86-88 inclusive and the buffer 97 can also be in binary form which would require the substitution of a comparator circuit for the AND gates 90, 92 and 94 so as to provide the proper timed pulse from the amplifiers 91, 93 and 95.

In the present embodiment, the receipt counter 88 is to start counting after 16 counts (FIG. 3) of the journal counter 86, while the slip counter 87 is to start counting after 32 counts (FIG. 3) of the journal counter. This timing allows for the same character to be positioned adjacent the hammer of each print station and is dependent on the number of characters that are in each row of type and the position of each print station. In the present embodiment there are 64 type characters mounted in a row on the drum member 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral position of each print station starting with the journal print station is 16 characters between the journal, receipt and slip print station going in a counter-clockwise direction about the drum member 20. Thus the delayed operation of the counters depends on the number of characters in cache row and peripheral position of each print station in relation to each other. Upon receiving coincidence pulses from the phototransistors 65 and 71, the AND gate 75 will be enabled to set the flip-flop 83 which enables the AND gate 80 to supply timing pulses 73 (HO. 3) to the J counter 86 which are generated by the disc 67. Pulses from counter 86 together with timed pulses from the data buffer 97 and the keyboard control unit 96 over wire 98 will enable the AND gate 90 thereby signaling a print operation to occur. The pulse from gate 90 is amplified by the amplifier 90 thereby energizing the solenoid 30 of the journal print station 22.

After 16 counts (FIG. 3), the counter 86 will generate a pulse over wire 100 (FIG. 2) enabling the AND gate 76 and the S counter 87 to print the same character on the slip 49. After 32 counts, the counter 86 will generate a pulse over wire 101 (FIG. 2) enabling AND gate 77 and R counter 88 to print the same character on the receipt 37 in the manner described above with respect to the J counter 86.

It will thus be seen that the printing apparatus disclosed herein allows three separate record members to be printed utilizing a single set of type characters positioned around the circumference of the drum member, thus allowing the diameter of the drum member to be reduced to a minimum for use in those business machines where space requirements are at a premium. While the embodiment of the invention described herein is directed to three printing stations, it is obvious that the invention can be applied to any number of print stations that are to be used with a single set of characters.

What is claimed is: 1. In a data printing system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel with a single set of printing characters arranged around the periphery of said type wheel; b. a plurality of printing hammers positioned around the periphery of said type wheel for printing the same character on a plurality of record members;

0. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said printing hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member;

d. means for moving each hammer into engagement with said actuating member when operated;

e. first means coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel;

f. second means coupled to one of said actuating members for generating pulses in accordance with the actuating position of the hammer actuating member;

g. first means responsive to a coincidence between said generated pulses to provide a first control pulse representing the characters on the type wheel in a printing position with one of said hammers and a plurality of delayed pulses representing the same characters in a printing position with the other of said hammers;

h. second means responsive to a coincidence between the pulses from said first generating means and said delayed pulses to provide second control pulses representing the same characters on the type wheel in a printing position with each of the other of said hammers;

. means for generating timed pulses representing the character to be printed;

j. and third means responsive to the coincidence of said character pulses and the first and second control pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on the record members.

2. The printing system of claim I in which each of said printing hammers are mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement adjacent said type wheel; said hammer actuating members comprises a cam member having a plurality of hammer actuating surfaces; said moving means includes a movable drive member engaging one of said printing hammers, and an electromagnetic member engaging said drive member, said electro-magnetic member operated by said third means to move said drive member whereby the printing hammer is rotated into a position to be engaged by one of the surfaces of said hammer actuating member.

3. The data printing system of claim 1 which includes means for generating pulses representing the establishment of a printing operation, said third coincidence means being responsive to the coincidence of said timed character pulses, said control pulses and said printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same characters on each of the record members.

4. The data printing system of claim 2 in which said second pulses generating means includes a. a disc member secured to said cam member, said disc member containing an aperture for each actuating surface on said cam member;

b. and photo-electric means positioned adjacent said disc member for generating a pulse for each aperture in said disc member representing the position of each surface in ahammer actuating position.

5. The data printing system of claim 1 in which the delayed pulses are generated in a timing relationship with said first control pulse according to the peripheral distance between each print hammer.

6. In a data printing system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel with a single set of printing characters arranged around the periphery of said type wheel;

b. a plurality of printing hammers positioned around the periphery of said type wheel for printing the same character on a plurality of record members;

0. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said printing hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member;

d. means for moving each hammer into engagement with said actuating member when operated;

e. first means coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel;

f. second means coupled to one of said actuating members for generating pulses in accordance with the actuating position of the hammer actuating member;

g. first means responsive to a coincidence between said generated pulses to provide a plurality of first output pulses representing the characters on said type wheel in a printing position;

h. a first output counter for counting said first output pulses to provide a first control pulse in accordance with the peripheral position of one of said hammers and to provide a plurality of delayed output pulses in accordance with the peripheral position of the other of said hammers;

. second means responsive to a coincidence between said delayed output pulses and the pulses from said first generating means to provide a plurality of second output pulses;

. a plurality of second output counters for counting said second output pulses to provide second control pulses in accordance with the peripheral position of the other of said hammers;

. means for generating timed pulses representing the character to be printed;

. and third means responsive to the coincidence of said character pulses and the control pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on the plurality of record members.

7. The data printing system of claim 6 which includes means for generating pulses representing the establishment of a printing operation, said third coincidence means being responsive to the coincidence of said timed character pulses, said control pulses and said printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on each of the record members.

8. The printing system of claim 6 in which each of said printing hammers are mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement adjacent saidtype wheel; said hammer actuating members comprises a cam member having a plurality of hammer actuating surfaces; said moving means includes a movable drive member engaging one of said printing hammers; and an electromagnetic member engaging said drive member, said electro-magnetic member operated by said third means to move said drive member whereby the printing haammer is rotated into a position to be engaged by one of the surfaces of said hammer actuating member.

9. The printing system of claim 8 in which said secondpulse generating means includes a. a disc member secured to said cam member, said disc member containing an aperture for each actuating surface on said cam member;

b. and photo-electric means positioned adjacent said disc member for generating a pulse for each aperture in said disc member representing the position of each surface in a hammer actuating position.

10. In a data print system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel having a plurality of rows of printing characters mounted around the peripheral surface of said type wheel, each of said rows comprising a single set of printing characters;

b. a plurality of print stations positioned around each row of printing characters, each print station including a movable hammer member for printing, when actuated, the same character on an associated record member;

c. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member;

d. electro-magnetic actuating means engaging each of said hammers for moving said hammer into engagement with said hammer actuating member when operated;

e. first means coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel;

f. second means coupled to one of said hammer actuating members for generating pulses representing the actuating position of the hammer actuating member;

g. first gating means responsive to a coincidence between the pulses generating means to provide a plurality of first output pulses, each representing a character when in a printing position with respect to one of said printing hammers;

h. a first output counter connected to said first gating means for counting said first output pulses, said first output counter providing a first control pulse in accordance with the peripheral position of one characters to be printed;

k. means for generating. pulses during the time a printing operation is to occur;

1. and a plurality of third gating means each responsive to one of said control pulses and said character and printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said electro-magnetic actuating means to print the same character on a plurality of record members during a single revolution of said type wheel.

* l l= i= UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3,850,098 Dated November 26, 1974 Inventor() Tadao Morohashi It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 21, "haan v" should be ham Column 6, line 60, before "generating" insert the following:

-- generated by said first and second Signed and sealed this 18th day of March 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. TIARSPALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks 

1. In a data printing system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel with a single set of printing characters arranged around the periphery of said type wheel; b. a plurality of printing hammers positioned around the periphery of said type wheel for printing the same character on a plurality of record members; c. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said printing hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member; d. means for moving each hammer into engagement with said actuating member when operated; e. first means coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel; f. second means coupled to one of said actuating members for generating pulses in accordance with the actuating position of the hammer actuating member; g. first means responsive to a coincidence between said generated pulses to provide a first control pulse representing the characters on the type wheel in a printing position with one of said hammers and a plurality of delayed pulses representing the same characters in a printing position with the other of said hammers; h. second means responsive to a coincidence between the pulses from said first generating means and said delayed pulses to provide second control pulses representing the same characters on the type wheel in a printing position with each of the other of said hammers; i. means for generating timed pulses representing the character to be printed; j. and third means responsive to the coincidence of said character pulses and the first and second control pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on the record members.
 2. The printing system of claim 1 in which each of said printing hammers are mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement adjacent said type wheel; said hammer actuating members comprises a cam member having a plurality of hammer actuating surfaces; said moving means includes a movable drive member engaging one of said printing hammers; and an electro-magnetic member engaging said drive member, said electro-magnetic member operated by said third means to move said drive member whereby the printing hammer is rotated into a position to be engaged by one of the surfaces of said hammer actuating member.
 3. The data printing system of claim 1 which includes means for generating pulses representing the establishment of a printing operation, said third coincidence means being responsive to the coincidence of said timed character pulses, said control pulses and said printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same characters on each of the record members.
 4. The data printing system of claim 2 in which said second pulse generating means includes a. a disc member secured to said cam member, said disc member containing an aperture for each actuating surface on said cam member; b. and photo-electric means positioned adjacent said disc member for generating a pulse for each aperture in said disc member representing the position of each surface in a hammer actuating position.
 5. The data printing system of claim 1 in which the delayed pulses are generated in a timing relationship with said first control pulse according to the peripheral distance between each printing hammer.
 6. In a data printing system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel with a single set of printing characters arranged around the periphery of said type wheel; b. a plurality of printing hammers positioned around the periphery of said type wheel for printing the same character on a plurality of record members; c. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said printing hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member; d. means for moving each hammer into engagement with said actuating member when operated; e. first means coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel; f. second means coupled to one of said actuating members for generating pulses in accordance with the actuating position of the hammer actuating member; g. first means responsive to a coincidence between said generated pulses to provide a plurality of first output pulses representing the characters on said type wheel in a printing position; h. a first output counter for counting said first output pulses to provide a first control pulse in accordance with the peripheral position of one of said hammers and to provide a plurality of delayed output pulses in accordance with the peripheral position of the other of said hammers; i. second means responsive to a coincidence between said delayed output pulses and the pulses from said first generating means to provide a plurality of second output pulses; j. a plurality of second output counters for counting said second output pulses to provide second control pulses in accordance with the peripheral position of the other of said hammers; k. means for generating timed pulses representing the character to be printed; l. and third means responsive to the coincidence of said character pulses and the control pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on the plurality of record members.
 7. The data printing system of claim 6 which includes means for generating pulses representing the establishment of a printing operation, said third coincidence means being responsive to the coincidence of said timed character pulses, said control pulses and said printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said moving means to print the same character on each of the record members.
 8. The printing system of claim 6 in which each of said printing hammers are mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement adjacent said type wheel; said hammer actuating members comprises a cam member having a plurality of hammer actuating surfaces; said moving means includes a movable drive member engaging one of said printing hammers; and an electro-magnetic member engaging said drive member, said electro-magnetic member operated by said third means to move said drive member whereby the printing hammer is rotated into a position to be engaged by one of the surfaces of said hammer actuating member.
 9. The printing system of claim 8 in which said second pulse generating means includes a. a disc member secured to said cam member, said disc member containing an aperture for each actuating surface on said cam member; b. and photo-electric means positioned adjacent said disc member for generating a pulse for each aperture in said disc member representing the position of each surface in a hammer actuating position.
 10. In a data printing system, the combination of a. a constantly rotating type wheel having a plurality of rows of printing characters mounted around the peripheral surface of said type wheel, each of said rows comprising a single set of printing characters; b. a plurality of print stations positioned around each row of printing characters, each print station including a movable hammer member for printing, when actuated, the same character on an associated record member; c. a constantly rotating hammer actuating member positioned adjacent each of said hammers for actuating said hammer upon movement of the hammer into engagement with said actuating member; d. electro-magnetic actuating means engaging each of said hammers for moving said hammer into engagement with said hammer actuating member when operated; e. first meaNs coupled to said type wheel for generating a pulse representing the home position of said type wheel; f. second means coupled to one of said hammer actuating members for generating pulses representing the actuating position of the hammer actuating member; g. first gating means responsive to a coincidence between the pulses generated by said first and second generating means to provide a plurality of first output pulses, each representing a character when in a printing position with respect to one of said printing hammers; h. a first output counter connected to said first gating means for counting said first output pulses, said first output counter providing a first control pulse in accordance with the peripheral position of one of said hammers and providing a plurality of delayed output pulses each in accordance with the peripheral position of each of the other of said hammers; i. a plurality of second gating means each responsive to a coincidence between one of said delayed output pulses and the pulses generated by said first generating means to provide a second control pulse in accordance with the peripheral position of each of the other of said hammers; j. means for generating timed pulses representing the characters to be printed; k. means for generating pulses during the time a printing operation is to occur; l. and a plurality of third gating means each responsive to one of said control pulses and said character and printing pulses to sequentially operate each of said electro-magnetic actuating means to print the same character on a plurality of record members during a single revolution of said type wheel. 